Media Release

Health Report a Chance to Put Albertans First

February 22, 2012

EDMONTON - If the Health Quality Council of Alberta’s eleven-month review of the health system teaches us anything, it’s that it’s time for politicians to stop politicizing health care, says Alberta Party MLA Dave Taylor.

“This is a good review with 21 positive recommendations for improving patient care in Alberta,” says Taylor. “Let’s be clear – there’s nothing wrong with holding a full judicial inquiry. But in and of itself, the inquiry won’t shorten wait times for patients or make it easier for doctors to do their jobs. We also need to get on with implementing the recommendations in the review.”

The HQCA report lays the blame for emergency department wait times and the issue of physician intimidation squarely at the feet of the PC government and its repeated reorganizations of the health system going back to 1994.

“The Liberals, Wildrose and New Democrats all claim we need a public inquiry to get to the bottom of this and hold individuals accountable. But they’re less clear on the message that the health system itself needs some stability,” says Taylor. “If all they want is an opportunity to score political points at the PC’s expense, that’s not putting Albertans first.”

The coming election presents a much better opportunity to be a game-changer for health care in Alberta than any potential inquiry.

Alberta Party leader Glenn Taylor says, “The Alberta Party is committed to working in a non-partisan way on making the health system better, and recognizes that the people with the most expertise in accomplishing this are not the politicians – they’re the medical professionals in the system, and we need to let them do their jobs.”

Glenn Taylor says, “It’s time for the public to now stand up and hold this government accountable for their actions - we need to take the politics out of health care, by taking these politicians out of their jobs.”